How I spend a weekend in Preston

Nitish Trikha - MBBS

My time at university has been a thrilling, challenging, and insightful experience. Over the past five years, I have seen the university grow and the campus change in front of my eyes. The positive growth of the university also correlates with that of Preston as a city. Which I feel has been a great place to stay and live in. During my time at Preston, I have used the sports centre and the gym which has allowed me to stay mentally and physically fit. I have represented my university in BUCS badminton and athletics tournaments. I have had the opportunity to join the medics basketball society and the Chess society alongside a team of passionate colleagues

I have also used the sports arena for athletics and football training which is a sprawling sports venue where you can play quite a lot of sports. I really like the world-class sports facilities. Be it the gym, sports arena or sports halls, it provides an excellent exposure to a competitive sports environment. I feel that it has helped me develop my skills in badminton while working together with dedicated friends and colleagues.

I feel what makes Preston unique is its location. Preston has a balance between being a big city as well as providing a comfortable environment for study. The direct and frequent trains to Manchester airport and major cities such as Manchester, Lancaster, London, Birmingham, and Scotland make travel easy. I can also save on travel costs by using my railcard. Being awarded the purple flag status for safety and having security and cameras also makes me feel safe within the university. Not only this, but the library also offers a shuttle service late at night, so we don’t have to worry about getting home in the dark.

Preston is a multicultural place with people from different walks of life. Being from India and Singapore often makes me miss home and the culture and food there. However, due to the adequate and well priced Indian grocery stores and events organised by the communities here, I feel extremely please to have chosen to study at UCLan. For the nature lovers, I would definitely recommend Avenham and Moor Park. These are excellent places to relax and socialize. Being open to the public, they offer sprawling green fields, basketball and tennis courts which are free to use for all. If anyone is planning to interact with the community, joining the 5K free parkrun is an excellent way to meet people and socialise.

For anyone planning to come to Preston, I would suggest that you have an open-minded approach. Seize all the new opportunities here, and interact with people from different countries. I would recommend joining the gym or a society because it is important to have an all-rounded experience of student life. Finally, do not hesitate to seek help from me or anyone from UCLan and try to enjoy what this city has to offer as much as possible.